Oahu Beaches - Makapuu Beach - Hawaii's Natural Waterpark

Makapuu Beach is a great place for kids; there's lots of fun, free things to do.

Free things to do on Oahu: Explore Makapuu Beach with your kids

I’m not going to go over all the common-sense parenting things like “don’t let them out of your sight” because if you don’t know that know you ain’t gonna learn it on this Web site. Here are some things you can do with your children at Makapuu for an extra good time:

• Play hide and go seek in the grassy areas. There are a lot of hidden trails in the hilly grassy area that make it easy to find the perfect hiding spots. My own kids still wanted to play this timeless game even after they turned 10.
• Tandem bodyboard. If the water is not too rough, take a child out on a bodyboard. Have them hold the board first with both arms and then you do the same so that your child is in your embrace. Wait for the right size wave to come and catch it! I fondly recall doing this endlessly when my daughter was about 5 years old and after every wave she shrieked “This ROCKS!”
• Catch black crabs near the tidepools. You’ll find these critters scurrying around the rocks and nothing is quite as satisfying to young children as catching a crab and putting it in a bucket.

A special way to enjoy tide pools with the kids

I’ll never forget the lesson one of the Ph.Ds at the aquarium taught us: the smaller the area you focus, the more life you’ll find. Exploring tide pools is not about finding big fish, but rather noticing microscopic wonders. Get really close to a tide pool and focus on a tiny area, about the size of two open hands. Stay still and pay close attention. Soon you’ll see that this little spot is teeming with life. You might notice tiny hermit crabs, microscopic fish, or little tadpoles swimming around. You’ll both shriek with delight when you make these simple yet profound discoveries. Spend enough time doing this with your children and you’ll both enjoy an awe-inspiring moment of life.